ThePlayStation 3was a great console with a ton of awesome titles. However, some of the best games for the system couldn’t be found on store shelves. No, there were numerous PS3 titles that were only available digitally. A good number of these were small indie games that didn’t have a big enough following to justify a physical release. Other times games, close to AAA quality, were only offered digitally because it was felt they wouldn’t sell in North America.
For a game to be considered for this discussion, it must have only been available digitally in North America. Games that eventually got a physical release after being digital-only for years will not be included; two prime examples areJourneyandTokyo Jungle.A game that had a physical copy outside of North America, though, is not disqualified from this list.
10Castlevania: Harmony Of Despair
This game brought theCastlevaniaseries back to its 2D roots and was clearly made to try and recapture the success ofSymphony of the Nightfor the PSX. In terms of recreating the fun factor,Harmony of Despairwas a huge success, even though the game had its share of criticism.
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Some felt that the pursuit of loot was too much of a factor, and made the game depart too much fromtraditionalCastlevaniatitles. That said, what even the critics can’t deny is that playing this game cooperatively with friends is a fun experience.Only the PS3 version had local co-op. Over time,Harmony of Despairreceived a generous amount of additional DLC content as well.
9Spelunky
This entry has no doubt triggered nostalgia in many readers; fueled by those moments they were able to get the shopkeeper’s shotgun.Spelunkyis an extremely fun, addictive, 2D roguelike platformer. The premise is simple –explorerandomly generatedcavesfor treasure while trying to avoid danger. It sounds simple, but this game can be maddeningly hard.
Spelunky’s difficulty was blunted thanks to the hilarious ways a player could die, or more precisely, kill themselves. Many players likely remember accidentally throwing a bomb, getting caught in the blast, and then bouncing off several walls before landing in a spike pit.
8Dungeons And Dragons: Chronicles Of Mystara
Gamers that were around in the 1990s, during the days when arcade machines were everywhere, will probably remember playing theDungeons and Dragonsarcade games fromCapcom. These are arguablythe best beat-‘em-upsever made. The player had a choice of several classes (characters), characters gained levels and new abilities/spells, there were branching paths for replayability, and the games allowed up to four players.
Dungeons And Dragons: Chronicles Of Mystarais a compilation ofTower of DoomandShadow Over Mystara. This was given a physical release, but only in Japan. In North America, PS3 owners could only get this via download.
7Strider
The originalStriderwas a fun arcade game. It is a 2D platformer with large and colorful sprites, excellent control, and a great ambient soundtrack. It was also incredibly fun, and at times challenging. Later, it was a game that sold many, many Sega Genesis consoles.
Strider, also calledStrider Hiryu, continued the franchise on the PS3. Theupdated graphics, leveling system, andMetroidvania-style layoutwere exactly what the series needed. This game was released on disc only in Japan, despite the physical version having the English language included. So, North American gamers that missed their chance to download this fantastic game on their PS3 can still play an imported copy.
6Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game
Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldwas an entertaining comic book, which was adapted into an entertaining movie. It makes sense that theScott Pilgrim vs. the Worldgame would also be entertaining. Unfortunately, by the time most gamers learned about this title, it was no longer available on the PSN.
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This game’s graphics and visuals look like they wereripped out of the comic. The gameplay is in the beat-‘em-up style and feels similar to genre classics like Konami’sThe Simpsonsgame. For a long time,Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldwas not available on any platform; however, it eventually got released for the PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch, and Stadia.
5Darkstalkers Resurrection
Darkstalkersis a franchise of fighting games from the master of the genre, Capcom. When the topic ofthe best Capcomfighting games is discussed, it usually isn’t long beforeDarkstalkersis mentioned.
Darkstalkers Resurrectionis a compilation of two games in the series:Night Warriors: Darkstalker’s RevengeandDarkstalkers 3. These retro arcade games weregiven an HD upgradein the graphics department, but the core gameplay that made these fighters so popular was left unchanged. Gamers wanting to add this to their PS3 collection can get a Japanese import (physical) copy if they didn’t get the digital version.
4Battle Princess Of Arcadias
This is an obscure title.Howobscure? Well, it doesn’t have a Wikipedia page, which is pretty uncommon for modern games. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth playing through.Battle Princess Arcadiasis a side-scrollinghack-and-slash gamethat uses the rock-paper-scissors game mechanic found in games likePokemon.
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The game’s visuals are similar toDragon’s CrownandOdin Sphereon PS3, orMuramasa: The Demon Bladefor the Wii. The gameplay is similar to those games as well.Battle Princess Arcadiasdifferentiates itself from those games by adding the element ofcommanding soldiers in battle, in real-time, as well as the rock-paper-scissors strategic element. The Japanese physical copy of this game contains the English language version.
3BlazeRush
BlazeRushis an RC-style racing game with a combat aspect. ThinkTwisted Metal, but the camera gives a top-down isometric view to the players. The only real complaint players might have about this game is the camera. The angle will pan out if the 1st place car gets too far ahead; at a certain point, the car in 1st place will be forced offscreen. This isn’t very fun for the player leading the pack.
Apart from the camera problem, this isan excellent racing gamethat gives classics likeMario Karta run for their money. The game’s physics feel right, while theweapons are varied and more realisticthan red turtle shells. This is currently available as a digital download for the PS5.
2Mega Man 10
Every gamer worth their high score knows about theMega Mangames. This series began on the NES, although it wasn’t untilMega Man 2that the series really took off. PS3 owners were given the privilege of being able to download the tenth game in the series.Mega Man 10was part of theCapcom Essentialscompilation for the PS3. This was a physical release, butMega Man 10was the only game in the compilation that was digital-only.
Mega Man 10looks and plays like the classic NES titles, rather than theMega ManXgames for the SNES. The player has a choice ofplaying the game with Mega Man or Proto Man; each has a different set of abilities but plays basically the same. PS5 owners can get this title as part of theMega Man Legacy Collection 2.
1Batman: The Telltale Series
Many readers might see this entry and think, “I remember seeing that game on store shelves” – and indeed it was. However, only the first chapter was on the disc. Players wanting the full game needed to use the included codes to download the remaining chapters. So, people shouldonly buy a sealed copy of this game. A pre-owned copy’s download codes have almost certainly been used.
Like allTelltalegames,Batman: The Telltale Seriesis an interactive graphic novel with superb voice acting and the occasional action sequence. This game isn’t about precise controller inputs like theBatman: Arkhamseries, but it tells anengaging story that the player steers to its conclusion.
